For Immediate Release

May 11, 2012

Le Moyne forces New Haven's exit while Franklin
Pierce and Saint Anselm improve to 2-0 in championship play

Rindge, N.H. – Second-seeded Franklin Pierce University scored three times in the bottom of the ninth to walk off with a 6-5 victory over fourth-seeded University of New Haven on Friday afternoon as the Northeast-10 Conference Baseball Championship Weekend got underway from Pappas Field in Rindge, N.H.

Top-seeded Saint Anselm College followed up by sending 13 men to the plate in an eight-run sixth inning on its way to a 14-8 victory over second-seeded Le Moyne College.

With the victories, Saint Anselm and Franklin Pierce will now square off on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. at Sullivan Park in Manchester, N.H.

In Friday's third and final game, Le Moyne staved off elimination by defeating New Haven, 10-4, at Pappas. The Dolphins, who now await the loser of Saturday's Franklin Pierce-Saint Anselm matchup, broke a 2-2 tie by scoring three times in the sixth before adding five more in the seventh.

#2 NE Franklin Pierce 6, #4 SW New Haven 5 - BOX
The Ravens loaded the bases with nobody out to begin the ninth, at which point the Chargers summoned right-hander Peter Jay from the bullpen. After Jay got James Roche to strike out swinging, Northeast-10 Player of the Year Zach Mathieu (pictured) delivered a two-run double down the left field line.

New Haven left fielder Chris DeMorais bobbled the ball off a carom in the corner on the play, which allowed the game-winning run to score from first for the win.

Franklin Pierce will now play Saturday at 12:00 p.m. against the winner of this afternoon's Le Moyne-Saint Anselm contest, while New Haven will take on the loser of that game tonight at 7:00 p.m.

New Haven's Frank Vilacha took the loss, allowing three runs – two earned – in two innings of relief, while Franklin Pierce's Vladimir Camacho got the win after allowing two hits over 1.1 scoreless innings.

Franklin Pierce's Ryan Thompson allowed three runs on five hits over six innings, while New Haven starter John Melville surrendered three runs on six hits in six innings.

Mathieu put the Ravens up 3-2 with a two-run blast to left in the fifth inning, only for New Haven to tie it back up in the seventh on an RBI groundout by Brendan O'Reilly.

The Chargers then gained a 5-3 advantage by scoring twice off Ravens reliever Ryan Leach in the eighth inning, with Andrew Johnson delivering an RBI single and Joe Romanelli plating another with a double to left center.

The Chargers scored the first run of the ballgame in the first on Ryan Brockett's RBI groundout, although Matt Walsh soon tied it up at 1-1 with a solo homer to lead off the second. O'Reilly doubled to lead off the third before scoring on Cory Carr's RBI single to give the Chargers a 2-1 lead.

Mathieu went 3-for-5 with four RBI for the Ravens, while Dan Hennigan, Walsh, and Calvin Graves had two hits apiece. For New Haven, Stephen Clout, Johnson and DeMorais each had two hits.

#1 NE Saint Anselm 14, #2 SW Le Moyne 8 - BOX
It was a tie ballgame at 6-6 prior to the Hawks' big inning, which featured four hits and a costly error by Le Moyne third baseman Matt Marra that led to four unearned runs.

Dan Lagasse came through with a two-run single to break the tie, and Nate Gonya was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the inning's third run. After Jeffrey Criscuolo brought in another with an RBI single, Tito Llubere delivered a bases clearing, three-run triple with two outs before later scoring on a wild pitch to make it 14-6.

Le Moyne scored a pair in the ninth on a two-run single by Ryan Mahoney to account for the final.

Saint Anselm's Neil Hesek got the win, allowing one run in two innings of work in relief of starter Sean Hayden, who allowed five runs – three earned – while striking out seven over five innings.

Dolphins starting pitcher Derek Zielinski took the loss after allowing seven earned on nine hits over five innings. Michael Kitts came on in relief of Zielinski, but allowed five runs – three earned – in just a third of an inning.

Lluberes had a monster game, going 3-for-5 at the plate with four runs and three RBI, while Criscuolo also had a three-hit performance. Mahoney had three hits to lead the way offensively for the Dolphins.

Lluberes doubled and later scored on a wild pitch in the first inning for an early 1-0 Hawks lead, but Le Moyne took back the lead with two runs in the second, as Pat Wiese scored on an error and Kyle Kalaka delivered an RBI double. The Dolphins extended their lead to 4-1 on a two-run single by Wiese in the third.

Saint Anselm used a five-run third to retake the lead at 6-4. After a Daniel DeCoste sacrifice fly, Mike Hayden tied it up with a two-run single before Gonya gave the Hawks the lead with an RBI double. Andrew Chandler's RBI single added another in the inning.

But Mahoney connected on a solo shot in the fifth before Brett Botsford plated another with an RBI infield hit in the sixth to tie it at 6-6.

#2 SW Le Moyne 10, #4 SW New Haven 4 – BOX
Dolphins starting pitcher Mark Kuzma went seven innings to get the win, as the lefthander allowed just two runs on seven hits with 11 strikeouts and two walks.

Tyler Candage took the loss in relief for New Haven, allowing four runs – three earned – on two hits in two innings.

In the sixth, Pat Wiese walked and stole second before scoring on a wild pitch, and Matthew Ciraco later doubled in a run. Brian Stinson also scored on a wild pitch after reaching via a walk.

In the seventh, Wiese plated a pair with a double to left center and Stinson followed with an RBI single. Brett Botsford also had an RBI single in the frame and Zack Wiley forced in another with a bases load walk.

New Haven loaded the bases before plating two in the ninth but could get no closer.

After the two teams traded runs in the second, New Haven took the lead in the third on an RBI double by Andrew Johnson. Le Moyne however managed to get that run back in the fifth when Botsford singled and later scored on a groundout.

The Northeast-10 is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 5,500 student-athletes. Each year, 4,000 of those student-athletes compete in Conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

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